McCormack + Kristel Seeking Executive Director for NEXT Harm Reduction

September 21, 2026 – McCormack + Kristel has been retained by NEXT Harm Reduction (NEXT Distro) to lead in its search for an executive director. This is a rare opportunity for a visionary leader and skilled fundraiser to take a nationally recognized organization with an urgent mandate and grow it to the scale the moment demands.

Reporting to the board of directors and leading a talented, values-driven nine-person hybrid team, the executive director is responsible for setting the organization’s vision and strategic direction, building financial sustainability, managing external relationships, and aligning strategy, culture, and operations.

‍The new executive director will leverage the organization’s solid infrastructure and proven model to expand national reach and deepen impact for the communities NEXT serves. The visionary new leader will develop and implement a strategic growth plan, diversify revenue, and ensure the organization has the capacity to match its ambitions.

The new executive director will be a seasoned non-profit leader and skilled fundraiser with deep commitment to harm reduction values and the communities NEXT serves. They will be as comfortable cultivating a major donor as they are building relationships with affiliate partners across the country and will approach the work of organizational growth with both strategic vision and hands-on discipline.

The ideal candidate will have significant senior leadership experience in a non-profit organization, with direct accountability for fundraising outcomes. They should have a demonstrated track record of growing revenue through multiple channels, including grants, individual donors, and institutional funders. They must also have experience managing a complex, multi-funder grant portfolio.

Founded in 2017, NEXT Harm Reduction provides online and mail-based harm reduction resources to individuals who cannot access in-person services. Built on the premise that people who use drugs should have access to the supplies, education, and support they need to stay alive and healthy, regardless of where they live. NEXT Distro was one of the first online and mail-based harm reduction programs in the United States.

McCormack + Kristel is a national retained executive search firm specializing in leadership solutions for non-profit and philanthropic organizations. Since 1993, mission-driven organizations have relied on the firm to identify transformational talent and guide consequential leadership decisions with discipline, sector expertise, and sound judgment. The firm’s practice is focused exclusively on the social impact sector, and has been included on Hunt Scanlon‘s lists of Top Nonprofit and Top Diversity search firms.

McCormack + Kristel’s principal, Michelle Kristel, brings more than 25 years of experience placing chief executives and senior leaders in mission-driven organizations nationwide. Before moving into executive search, she served as the executive director of a national non-profit, giving her an insider’s awareness of the demands facing organizational leaders and what it actually takes to lead effectively in the sector. And as a current and longtime board leader, she brings an active governance perspective to every engagement, understanding firsthand what search committees need from a search partner.

Independent Film & Television Alliance Search

McCormack + Kristel recently placed Jackie Brenneman as president and CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA). She succeeds Jean Prewitt, who is stepping down at the end of the month after 25 years leading the organization.

Private Equity Recruiting – Return on Investment: Creating Value with Talent

Talent has become a defining driver of performance in private equity, shaping how firms manage risk, execute strategy, and deliver sustained returns. As deal cycles tighten and value creation depends increasingly on operational excellence, leadership quality and organizational design are no longer secondary considerations — they are central to how firms source, underwrite, and scale investments. From talent diligence and CEO succession to team integration and leadership development, human capital decisions now influence outcomes across the entire investment lifecycle.

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“Jackie brings industry insight, legal and lobbying expertise, and a proven record of guiding complex membership organizations,” said Paul Bales, chairperson, IFTA and partner and COO of The Asylum. “Her deep appreciation of how business, public affairs, and creative communities intersect, and her experience navigating the fast pace of evolution in our industry and the challenges it presents, especially for independent companies, make her uniquely qualified to lead IFTA into their next chapter. We look forward to working closely with her.”

Ms. Brenneman joins IFTA with a career spanning organizational leadership, government relations, legal practice, and non-profit oversight. She spent nearly a decade at NATO, rising through the organization to executive vice president and general counsel, where she served as a strategic leader for the exhibition community and the organization’s membership during periods of significant change and disruption.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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